Early Morning Accident sends Two to Hospital
Westport Fire Department
At approximately 0700 this morning, Westport Firefighters were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident on Post Road West in the area of Marion Road. One Engine, the Rescue and the Shift Commander responded to the call.
The first arriving engine reported a three vehicle accident with major damage to two of the vehicles. A protective hose line was deployed as crews assessed the occupants of the vehicles. The driver of one vehicle required extrication due to the amount of damage to the passenger compartment. Firefighters completed the extrication very quickly using hydraulic tools, and assisted Westport EMS to transfer the patient into the ambulance.
Westport Police Department provided support including traffic control during the incident and Westport EMS utilized two ambulances to transport two patients to Norwalk Hospital. The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time.
Post Road West was shut down for an extended period while emergency services operated, and the road reopened as the last fire department unit cleared the scene just before 0800. The accident is currently under investigation.
As a reminder, please make sure you are securely buckled up on every journey.
Seatbelts save lives.
Morning Weather Report
Today
Rain. Widespread dense fog. High near 44. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
Rain. Widespread fog. Low around 33. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Tomorrow
Rain before 3pm, then freezing rain and sleet likely between 3pm and 4pm, then snow, freezing rain, and sleet likely after 4pm. Temperature falling to around 30 by 5pm. Wind chill values between 20 and 30. North wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tomorrow Night
Snow and freezing rain likely before 10pm, then a chance of snow between 10pm and 1am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Governor Ned Lamont Announces Proposed $336 Million in Tax Cuts for Connecticut Residents
Governor Ned Lamont today unveiled his first package of legislative proposals for the 2022 regular session, which includes a series of tax cuts that will provide approximately $336 million in relief for Connecticut residents.
The governor said that he is proposing the tax cut package as the state is projecting an operating surplus of $1.48 billion, which will enable a significant reduction in the one-time revenues built into the enacted budget and will continue to ensure the state has a strong rainy day fund.
“When I took office three years ago, Connecticut had a $3.7 billion deficit with projected deficits for many years to come, and for the sake of our economic future I made it a commitment to turn that instability around and strengthen our state’s fiscal health,” Governor Lamont said. “Today, Connecticut has a surplus, and we did it without broad-based tax increases, and while making an historic investment in our pension obligations and leaving the rainy day fund untouched. Connecticut’s fiscal health is stronger than it’s been in decades, and now we can move toward the next phase of the Connecticut comeback – cutting taxes for the people who live here.
“I asked our budget analysts to run some numbers to determine how we can cut taxes in a realistic way that won’t negatively impact the strong fiscal standing we’ve created, while targeting those cuts for those who can benefit most. I’m hopeful that the legislature will agree that these cuts can provide relief, and this package can be the first in a series in the coming years as we continue bringing Connecticut’s fiscal stability on more and more solid ground.”
Governor Lamont’s tax cut proposal includes five parts:
Restore full eligibility for the property tax credit (estimated impact: 500,000 people)
The governor is asking the legislature to immediately restore full eligibility for the property tax credit beginning in income year 2022. Under current state law, the property tax credit is limited to those over the age of 65 or those with dependents. Expanding the credit to all adults within the current income limits ($109,500 for single filers/$130,500 for joint filers) will have an estimated fiscal impact to the state of $53 million.
Increase the property tax credit from $200 to $300 (estimated impact: 1.1 million people)
In addition to restoring the property tax credit to full eligibility, Governor Lamont is proposing to increase the credit from its current rate of $200 to a maximum of $300 per filer. Increasing the property tax credit to $300 will have an estimated fiscal impact to the state of $70 million.
Accelerate the planned phase-in of the pensions and annuities exemption from income taxes (estimated impact: 250,000 people)
The governor is proposing to accelerate by three years – from 2025 to 2022 – the planned phase-in of the pensions and annuities exemption under the state income tax. Under current state law, income year 2022 is scheduled for a 56% exemption as the fourth year of a seven-year phase-in of the exemption, which is scheduled to reach 100% by 2025. Single filers with an adjusted gross income less than $75,000 and joint filers with less than $100,000 qualify for the exemption. Accelerating the exemption three years earlier will have an estimated fiscal impact to the state of $42.9 million in FY 2023, declining to $0 in FY 2026 as the existing phase-in is already assumed in the consensus forecast.
Expand student loan tax credit (estimated impact: up to 32,000 people)
The governor is proposing to expand a student loan tax credit that he championed and was adopted in 2019, which gives employers a 50% tax credit on up to $5,250 in payments toward an employee’s student loan. The program would leverage business expenditures alongside the state tax credit to significantly expand eligibility to all loans issued by the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA). The change would be retroactive to January 1, 2022 and will have an estimated fiscal impact of $9.4 million.
Reduce motor vehicle property taxes (estimated impact: 1.7 million vehicles, which amounts to 77% of vehicles in the state)
Governor Lamont is asking the legislature to approve a law that will lower the mill rate cap on motor vehicle property taxes from 45 mills to 29 mills and reimburse local governments for the resulting revenue impact. A 29-mill cap on all motor vehicles will provide property tax relief for over 1.7 million vehicles in 103 towns and cities, including 20 of the 25 distressed municipalities. This would continue to apply to passenger, commercial, and combination vehicles. Reimbursements to municipalities would cost an additional $160.4 million above the current appropriation.